A high school English teacher has been arrested after she was secretly filmed by her students while appearing to cut up and snort what police suspect to be cocaine in an empty classroom, WGN9 reports.
Samantha Cox, 24, was taken away from Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana, in handcuffs after students showed the video to their principal, who informed the authorities.
Junior Will Rogers captured the footage, which appeared to show Cox cutting up a white, powdery substance on a binder, then turning her back to the door and leaning over. Rogers had recorded the video through a locked classroom door at around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
“She’s in the corner, hiding with a chair and a book and what appears to be cocaine, putting it into lines,” he said.
"I actually watched the footage again and again, and I just realized that my English teacher just did cocaine," Rogers told WGN. The video, posted to YouTube, quickly spread around the campus. When Cox's fellow staff members discovered it, they notified St. John police.
Cox, 24, was arrested on charges possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, according to a St. John Police Department statement. The drugs involved appear to be a mix of cocaine and heroin, Police Chief James Kveton told The Northwest Indiana Times.
“School officials and police want to recognize and praise the student witness that brought this information to the principal very quickly,” the police statement read. “Their actions showed a tremendous amount of fortitude and integrity.”
Parents were informed of the arrest via a robocall from Lake Central Superintendent Larry Veracco.
“Earlier today, Lake Central administration was made aware of a situation regarding a teacher at Lake Central High School. Swift and forceful action was taken,” Veracco said in the robocall.
“I’m grateful that they found out when they did, and they were quick-acting,” parent Shannon McGrath told WGN.
“You’re told as a child to listen to them, respect them and stuff like that … But it’s kinda hard to respect somebody who does cocaine in a classroom,” junior Anthony Rios told the station.
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